2022-2023 board of directors
Josh Pearson
Board Chair
Pearson Development Company, Co-Owner
After studying Construction Management at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Josh started a career in the building industry that has lasted over 25 years. He began with a large corporation holding many titles and positions including Director of Land Development, Regional Construction Manager and VP of Operations. He has sat on 5 HOA Boards and also served on the Kings Country Club Board of Directors. During this time, Josh also started J.B. Pearson Construction in 2003 as a backup plan which he still owns and operates today.
He is a third-generation general building contractor in Porterville preceded by Claude, his Grandfather, and Steve his Dad. Five years ago, Josh was asked to return to town to be a partner in the family business, Pearson Development Company. He manages the family portfolio of multiple properties which includes over 100 units. Since Josh has returned to town he has joined and is very active in the Porterville Breakfast Rotary Club. He has sat on the Academy of Engineering Advisory Board at Harmony Magnet since 2020 and assists the local Habitat for Humanity committee.
Josh was encouraged to serve on the Porterville Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors in January of 2022. Josh looks forward to many years of serving the community of Porterville which has been so generous to his family and is always looking for new opportunities to give back.
Dennis Ickes
Immediate Past Board Chair
Tule River Economic Development Center, CEO
Alexandra Martin
Vice Chair of Finance
Valley Strong Credit Union, Branch Manager II
Scott Bowler
Vice Chair of Member Services
Employment Connection, Business Resource Specialist
Scott Bowler has been employed with the Porterville Employment Connection since July 2017 as a Business Resource Specialist. Scott’s role is to establish and maintain activities to develop, locate, and secure job openings for Employment Connection customer’s and market programs and coordinate job resources. His goal is to asses participant’s job skills and qualifications and refer qualified participant to hiring employers for direct placements, Transitional Work Agreements and On-the-Job Training Contracts. Scott provides guidance to Employment Connection customers while preparing their professional portfolios; provides job search/career information workshops and presentations; arranges for interviews; provides labor market and community resource information. Scott’s biggest talent is developing relationships with his customer’s and earning their trust, which leads to successful job placements and helps customer’s reach their career goals.
Scott has lived in Porterville since 1988. He has over 15 years of volunteer service in the city of Porterville. This includes Little League Coaching, Softball Coaching. He has planned several community water drives, helped with delivering, and distributing thousands of gallons of water to the Porterville Area Coordinating Council PACC during the Drought. He has assisted the public in the search of 3 Porterville missing persons. Search and Rescue team member Hurricane Harvey in Texas in 2017. Helped the public with the flooding in Tulare County in 2017 helped the public and delivered sandbags during the recent flooding in Porterville. Scott is the founder of the following Facebook Pages: Porterville Jobs, Porterville Against Drunk Drivers (PADD), Porterville Business and Specials. Scott was also a 2022 Man of the Year Nominee.
As Scott wanted to become more community involved so he joined the Porterville Chamber in 2022 as an Ambassador. As he continued to build his Business Relations and enjoyed his new community involvement he became a Board Member and was quickly promoted to Vice Chair of Member Services. Scott has a passion to help others and to make the city of Porterville the best it can be.
Ryan Leasure
Vice Chair of Community Outreach
Workforce Investment Board, Business Resource Specialist
Stephanie Torres
Vice Chair of Special Events
Valley Cleaning & Restoration, Project Coordinator
Alexander Reed-Krase
Board Director
Krase, Bailey, Reed-Krase, LLP, Partner
Dr. Larriann Torrez
Board Director
Porterville Unified School District/Porterville Adult School, Director of Adult Education
Dr. Larriann Torrez is employed with the Porterville Unified School District and has been the Director of Porterville Adult School since July 2021. Prior to coming back to Porterville, Larriann served as the Director of Tulare Adult School from 2016-2021 and was Assistant Director from 2011-2016, as well as the Principal of Sierra Vista Charter High School from 2013-2016. Larriann began her career in adult education in 1994 at Porterville Adult School where she taught evening GED and High School Diploma classes.
Larriann was born and raised in the Central Valley. She earned a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from Brandman University in 2018. She completed her undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at Fresno Pacific University, including a Bachelor of Arts in Management and Organizational Leadership and a Master of Arts in Education and Administration Services.
Larriann currently serves as the Vice President of Membership for the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) Tulare Charter; serves as the Adult Education representative for the Tulare County Hispanic Leadership Network; and serves on the Kern Adult Education Consortium Executive Committee.
Taha Saleh
Board Director
T A Saleh Enterprises Inc., President
For the past 22 years, Taha has had the pleasure of serving the city that raised him. From operating as president of T. A. Saleh Enterprises Inc., comprising of second-generation fuel and convenience retailer, Shop N Save Market (est. 1979), and Henderson Chevron, to over a decade of volunteer work in various community youth sports programs, he genuinely has a passion for giving back to the city that has given him so much.
As his late father before him, Taha’s passion for serving the community of Porterville is etched in the fabric of who he is. A true people’s person through and through, which is definitively summed up by his sentiments, “I love human interaction!”. As such, his neighborhood stores are more than just businesses, and his patrons are more than just customers. For Taha, they are community staples, where everyone that walks through his doors are seen and treated as family.
He also uses his platform at T. A. Saleh Enterprises to mentor his staff, helping many alumni move on to successful careers in other fields. With intention to contribute to his community in a larger compacity, Taha recently joined the board of the Porterville Chamber or Commerce, as well as becoming co-chair of the California Fuel and Convenience Association’s retail committee. In this role, he is working alongside other partners and state elected officials to craft a realistic energy transition for the future.
Daren Griswold
Board Director
INSURICA, Branch Manager
Daren was born and raised in Porterville, where his family has owned and managed businesses in the downtown area since the 1800’s. He is proud to be a third-generation insurance agent and currently serves as Branch Manager for INSURICA CA Insurance Services on Main Street. His family also has a long history with the Chamber of Commerce with four generations of Chamber Presidents, Daren holding that title back in 2000-2001. He has also served as President of the Porterville Jaycees, is a graduate of Leadership Porterville, has been a Chamber Ambassador, and was recognized by the Chamber as Male Volunteer of the Year in 2015.
Daren has been instrumental in numerous civic events and activities over the years. He was involved in the creation of the Iris Festival, created and chaired the Porterville Chili Cook-Off, served as Chairman for the Leadership Porterville steering committee, served on the Porterville Redevelopment Advisory Board, was Chairman of the 2002 Porterville Centennial Celebration, is a past Jackass Mail Run Wagonmaster, is a member of the Sons of the American Legion and currently serves as Secretary for the American Legion Riders, Chapter 20.
His adventurous personal life has included backcountry horseback riding, off-road Jeeping, chili cook-offs, fantasy football, riding his Harley, and traveling with his wife.
Emmanuel Ramos
Board Director
Touchstone Pistachio, Director of Operations
Ador Cardenas
Board Director
Eagle Mountain Casino, Interim Marketing Director
Morganne Clark
Board Director
SheMogul Media, LLC, Executive Director of Operations
Carly Ladrigan
Board Director
EECU, Branch Manager
Michael Warden
Board Director
Culture Cannabis Club, General Manager